The reforms empowered state and local governments to address budget deficits by asking government employees to make a 5.8% pension contribution (about the national average) and 12.6% health insurance contribution (about half the national average). Because those changes involved collective bargaining for government workers, unions protested.

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Unfortunately, the union mob mentality in Wisconsin shows that we are well on our way to becoming Greece. If we don't stand behind people with the common sense (like Gov.Walker) to address our financial problems there is no way to reverse our course.

Become like Greece LOL. Break the unions and the next step will be reducing minimum wage no employer sponsored health care, no vacation paid or otherwise, no overtime pay. In other words everything we didn't have prior to unions fighting for the workers. We get rid of unions we will be like China not Greece.

ah…. rhonda…. there are laws in place now to prevent your diarrhea of the keyboard example of "sky is falling…. Unions are awesome…. we would be China if not for unions…." Unions had there place…. no longer…. Unions are more focused on self preservation…

Hi Rhonda
It doesn't appear anyone is trying to break the unions but only trying to bring them in line with reality. Look at the auto industry. GM and Chrysler are doing just fine since the impossible union salaries and benefits were brought in line with the other non-union assembly plants. I doubt if realistic wages will be cut as there is a shortage of qualified workers in many fields. Why should companies sponsor health care plans when our government has donr that for all of us. If you could obtain health insurance, and for that matter any other product, for say $700.00 per year or pay say $4,000.00 per year I suspect you would vow for the $700.00. This is what companies wll basically face is the health care bill is ruled constitutional. You apparently aren't aware that paid vacation and overtime are already mandated by law.

how can anyone deny it's not about balancing the budget? the unions feed greed with their ranting impratical demands and nothing else. the working people of Wisconsin are ones that don't give up their "rights" to union leads. It isn't fair people are denying the problem! It isn't fair to negotiate when what's being negotiated is unfair and irrational to suggest negotiations. Governor Walker is more than fair to even consider any favor to those cheating their fellow citizens that being the bits of an amount to cover their own health costs. When did government union employees royalty status?

Can anyone explain why the government is still serving people "job training programs" at a high cost to the tax payers when any job as always has been but in particular available today, is better trained on the job?

Isn't it interesting how when Walker decided to end collective bargaining and the unions and teachers were willing to negotiate and willing to pay more. But Walker didn't care and would not work or even talk to them. It was nothing about balancing the budget but was all about breaking the union. A TGOP tactic that is going on around the country.

It would be interesting if it were true but union head actions and their members speak violent in public while the budget is in the tank because of government overpaying and over benefiting themselves with nothing to show their worth earned. If it comes to breaking the unions, it would be appropriate.

Truly beffuddling how people think money grows on trees ???????? You work for " WE the PEOPLE " !!!!!! Time to tighten your belts and it begins with tax paid ( by ALL citizens ) jobs to cut first cause the MAJORITY SAYS SO IN A DEMOCRACY !!!!!!!!!!!!! ENOUGH is ENOUGH !!!!!!!!!!

Governor Walker has reduced our state taxes and addressed our state debt. I object to the effort to void my vote for Governor Walker in the November 2010 election. Wait until the 2014 election and let the people of Wisconsin decide on who is to be governor of Wisconsin. This recall effort is ridiculous! There shouldn't be a "do over" just because you don't like what the governor is doing. We didn't demand a "do over" when Jim Doyle was governor – we just waited until the next election. This recall is like Wisconsinites behaving like junior high students – Grow Up!

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